Teamsters and horses at a sawmill landing – New England units 1917
The images and letters are courtesy of Stacey York, Mechanic Falls, Maine, USA. The series of images from Stacey are in the sequence on Forestry Memories from No 6282 to No 6298 and forms part of the Forestry Memories Groups collection ‘American Sawmillers in Scotland 1917’.
In the Great War of 1914-18 the UK and its allies were facing severe shortage of timber products to keep the coal mines operating and providing power for manufacturing for the war effort. Timber railway sleepers for the railways to the war front in Europe were urgently required and also wood for manufacturing of boxes and containers for munitions and other products. German submarines were severely interrupting timber imports and there was a great shortage of men to work in the forests and timber industry in UK because they had been called up in their millions to serve in the war effort as soldiers and sailors. An original request for assistance with timber cutting and sawing in British forests from the British Government was directed to the New England States.
A rapid response to the British crisis was taken on board by six New England States and a specially convened committee organised the supply of one sawmill unit funded by each state. The states involved were Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. In addition several individual companies and many individuals provided the necessary funding for a further four sawmill units resulting in a total of ten units and all their equipment being sent to Liverpool and eventually to Ardgay in Ross-shire in the summer of 1917. The timber workers and saw millers were on a contract to the British Government for a period of one year.
Lovell Churchill from Maine, USA , at sawmill Unit No 2 set up on Skibo Estate, Swordale Wood, wrote a series of short letters to his parents and sister describing his experiences and adventures. These letters and companying photographs were kept by his parents and then the family. Forestry Memories is very privileged to have been offered the opportunity to place these on the website.
This image is the second of two featuring teamsters and their horses probably close to their stables or the landings where they hauled the felled timber down and stacked it for the mill workers. There are eight horses shown in the two images whereas the number for each sawmill unit was around eleven or twelve with five or six teamsters. There are five teamsters standing with the horses in the two photographs with a further two men in the back ground. The only written details on the backs of the photographs are for this one ‘a couple more teams’ and the previous one ‘A couple of the teams and teamsters’. Lovell does make a brief mention in his 9th September letter ‘Enclosed you will find a picture taken of a bunch in number three – this is one of the landings and a Boston man is holding the ribbons and the off horse is very clever with his hind feet – get me?’
There was a thought that this could be teamsters from Unit No 3 located in Strathcarron but it could equally refer to the occupants of No 3 camp hut in Unit No 2 – Lovell’s unit located near Creich. It would require some detailed local knowledge of the horse to know it was very clever with its hind feet – (possibly a horse prone to kicking out a bit). Many of the horses featured in this unit are very light coloured and a photograph elsewhere on the website (that may show the horse team from No 3 Unit) contains almost all dark coloured horses. This was mainly a Maine State personnel manned unit but a Boston origin man could have been there also. Can anyone name the men and confirm the correct Unit number? Details via the comments box below would be very welcome indeed.
Lovell’s letters for the period 2-19 May1918 have been transcribed below. The letter dated 19th May is the last of the saved series and as the contracts ran out on the middle of June it is assumed teams would have spent some time dismantling all their camps and mills and placing them in a location for the British Government to take over. This would also apply to the horses. Some of the men were drafted into the US army as lumber workers in France while most went home via Liverpool and Boston.
The details of the dispersal of the equipment and horses has not so far been located but a letter in a local newspaper records that a large group of horses originally from the camps were officially placed in and eating valuable corn crops as their main food while they were awaiting dispersal. It is possible they and much of the equipment went to France to support the effort in the final months of the war.
In this last series of letters Lovell mentions that he was driving a team of horses, they have moved from the lumber camps and set up in their tented accommodation prior to departure, a young lumber worker in Unit no 8 lost part of his arm in a saw, he (Lovell) hopes to start work in the shipyards back home and that some ladies are very keen to go with him over to America. Note that the letters have been transcribed by this writer (Norman Davidson) into UK English and notes added where written words are not deciphered and American language terms not fully understood. Accuracy and interpretation results are far from guaranteed but readers can turn to the PDF link below the text to see the images of the actual letters and form their own opinions.
Lovell writes:
‘Arday, Ross-shire, Scotland. May 2 - 1918
My Dear Par:
I came in from playing ball and it’s not very late so must drop you a few lines. I learn that you are improving in health and I hope by the time this note reaches you that you will be feeling fine once more. I have heard from a dozen different ones and they all spoke of your illness but they all say you are gaining fast. I had a note from Almon Dean tonight he said he had been to see you several times and that you were having great care and getting along fine.
I made arrangements to go home when I learned of your sickness but the next reports were much better so I decided to stay until June fifteenth then I expect to go home. I knew there was nothing I could do better than Mar and Beryl was doing, never the less I would love to see you.
We have our lot done and have cut about two hundred thousand on Unit One’s and Monday will move to the old grounds where we camped when we first hit Scotland. We haul some there to cut. I have been driving team today, the first time I have had the ribbons in my hands since I dug Barrow’s cellars.
Well Dad take good care of yourself and don’t try to get busy too soon but take it easy. I will see you soon if nothing happens. Give my love to all and keep a good share for yourself. Sincerely, L. I. C.
Arday, Ross-shire, Scotland. May 8 - 1918
My Dear Dad:
Just a line this morning as there isn’t much going on. We have just got settled in our new camps and they sit exactly where we pitched our tents when we first landed in Scotland. We have five weeks more before any change will be made. They don’t say a word to us as to what we can do when the contract expires, so none of us know just what we may do.
I am going to watch my step pretty closely and see what they have to offer here before going home. Of course I would like to get home and see you all, but there are thousands of others in the same box.
The war doesn’t look much better than it did a year ago and I know you folks can get along and are all right. So I am going to grab whatever looks best, no matter which side it may be on. So far the ship building looks best to me but it all depends on what turns up during the next few weeks.
I suppose you are out of the hospital by this time, at least I hope so. There are a few cases of pneumonia here just now but they are getting along fine. Last week a fellow in Unit eight lost his right hand and arm to the elbow. This is the first bad accident we have had since coming here. He was turning the carriage dogs and caught his arm on the board saw - “pretty tough hey”?
I take a little walk down to Bonar Bridge nearly every night and have a few tunes on the piano. The weather is fine and it is quite light at ten PM. Everyone is busy farming here and I suppose it’s the same home.
Well Par Take care of yourself and give love to all. Sincerely, Lovell. Unit No 2.
Arday, Ross-shire, Scotland. May 19 - 1918
My Dear Dad:
Your note received and was might glad to get a note from you again and learn that you were gaining fast. I am coming home and try the ships yards for that is better than anything they offer on this side of the pond. Quite a few boys enlisted here yesterday but owing to the chance which I have, I think it policy for me to go home and take it or at least make a try at it.
I learned from the paper yesterday that Frank Perkins had sold his farm and bought Howard Gwans on Brett Hill. He probably cleaned up a piece of change and then some.
I hear that you sold your oxen and are going to buy a pair of horses. You must be getting quite a lot of milk just now and be sure and raise your heifer calves. Beryl says Dell is going to work for you this summer and he will make a good man for you, for you won’t be able to do hardly any work for a long time. When a man gets as weak as you were, it takes time to regain strength. Never the less you can be the walking boss and that’s a good job.
My pal Abbott is getting married soon and yesterday he joined the army. His wife is going to stay on this side until the war is over and then he is going to take her to Rumford.
I have a photograph of a couple of Queens whom I know on this side and believe me they are some good women. I will show you the picture when I get home. They want to go home with me and if it wasn’t for the war I should be greatly tempted to take one over for a nice long vacation but under the circumstances guess I better go home alone.
I have a little less than one month more here and then I expect to sail for N.Y. There are quite a few of the boys going with me and we are planning on having a fine trip. I am feeling fine and dandy and weather is beautiful as well as the scenery.
Well Dad I don’t think of any more this time only I probably won’t write again until I get to New York. Give my love to all at home. Sincerely, L. I. C.
Please see the PDF link below to see the images of the letters.
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Groups: American sawmillers in Scotland 1917, Caithness and Sutherland, Groups of people, Horses at work in Forests